Low-impedance shorts (also known as “short circuits” or “electric shorts”) within computing devices may cause significant damage to or even failure of those devices. For example, a short circuit may cause unexpectedly high amounts of power and/or current to flow between two or more components of a device, thereby dangerously increasing the operating temperature of those components. As the amount of power provided to a device increases, so too does the risk of damage to the device due to electrical failures. Devices connected to midplanes or other power-distribution mechanisms that carry large current loads may be especially harmed by short circuits.
Thus, manufacturers of power supplies and/or devices that utilize power supplies often attempt to protect these devices from damage caused by short circuits. Specifically, a device manufacturer may implement a software- and/or hardware-based system within a device that attempts to detect the onset of a short circuit or similar failure. Unfortunately, traditional systems for detecting these failures may be unable to identify a short circuit before significant damage occurs within a device. Moreover, such a system may be rendered useless if a short circuit damages the system itself.
The instant disclosure, therefore, identifies and addresses a need for improved apparatuses, systems, and methods for detecting electrical failures within computing devices.